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Apple 'iRing' Rumor Re-Emerges Amid Oura Ring Popularity

I used to think I wanted a product like this and then I paid attention to how often I use my watch as an actual watch (timers, alarms, etc).

Personally, I would be more into a fitness band that still had the time on it.
 
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Will Co said:
It's clever tech, but unless it can do something useful to me that my Apple Watch cannot, then I'll stick with the watch format. Those rings, even though improved, are somewhat bulky.
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There is something they can do better: battery life. The new Oura ring is amazing. Would switch to an Apple version in a heartbeat.
Could see them add payment option with ring and maybe something like gestures for iPad, iPhone etc.
 
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Absolutely would buy this. I have an AWU3 and an Oura ring for sleeping as the watch is too chunky / uncomfortable to sleep in. I like the Oura ring, but the high initial outlay plus yearly sub is not a great value proposition. An Apple version would have the benefit of being A)better integrated to Apple ecosystem / health etc and B) (presumably..) be covered by my existing iCloud sub etc without need for an extra £60 on top annually.
 
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Just two things:
  1. I already struggle to find a use for my smartwatch. A smart ring does not even have a screen. I do not even know what it is for. Tracking exercises? Tracking humor? Does it even work? And it is tacky. Zero tempted to buy one.
  2. If Apple launches a smart ring, we will have full confirmation that it has completely ceased to be the leader it once was and now all it does is follow trends set by other companies.
 
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punkypj said:
Absolutely would buy this. I have an AWU3 and an Oura ring for sleeping as the watch is too chunky / uncomfortable to sleep in. I like the Oura ring, but the high initial outlay plus yearly sub is not a great value proposition. An Apple version would have the benefit of being A)better integrated to Apple ecosystem / health etc and B) (presumably..) be covered by my existing iCloud sub etc without need for an extra £60 on top annually.
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I gave up on the Oura ring generation 1 because it didn’t have my most required feature: vibration for alarm. To this day it still doesn’t have it and would be the only reason I’d sleep with one on.
 
Will Co said:
It's clever tech, but unless it can do something useful to me that my Apple Watch cannot, then I'll stick with the watch format. Those rings, even though improved, are somewhat bulky.
Click to expand...

Gathering biodata in the absence of the Watch is simply an added feature, after both the Apple Watch proved gathering health data on a mobile device was practical, and Oura proved their ring had a market. The real reason for these rings is something much more interesting.

Apple filed a patent application in 2015 for "a unique ring that has the ability to interpret hand gestures and interact with other devices." The Ring is the foundational controller of Project Magic, which I've been hinting at here for years. A gesture-based interface that would allow easy use of a 2D or even 3D desktop similar to what Tom Cruise used in Minority report. (Consider Apple's long-dormant MCF / Project X / HotSauce but used with AR)

When Steve spoke of "cracking" the whole TV paradigm, the market took that to mean he'd come up with an Apple-branded TV. What he was really speaking of to Walter Isaacson was a new interface that made it easy, practical, and enjoyable to browse TV listings. Imagine wearing a couple of rings and being able to bring up the Apple TV home screen and quickly navigate through all of the available content to find what you want, instead of using a remote or even your voice. Now extrapolate that to your desktop GUI, HomeKit, and also Apple Glasses for the full experience.

Ultimately the Ring may prove to be the "killer app" that takes Apple through the next 20 years. Perhaps that is the reason why Steve's idea for the Apple Campus was shaped like one?
 
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This could be a nice addition to my watch. I head out for a walk each morning with a 50/50 chance I remembered to charge my watch first. Most mornings I get it but at least once per week, I fail and either leave it behind on the charger or wear it and take my phone for music. Normally it's my watch streaming music but not when the battery is low or basically dead. A ring that has a longer battery would at least track the activity I assume. I wear a ring daily already, this could take its place.
 
100% not interested and do not see this taking off. First of all there are more men than one might think that are either adverse to wearing rings or simply can't because of their jobs etc. With women...well it's just plain ugly so you'd have to offer 10000x choices. For what? What's the use case?

I'll try the glasses I suppose but this is a hard pass.
 
MaaK said:
There is something they can do better: battery life. The new Oura ring is amazing. Would switch to an Apple version in a heartbeat.
Could see them add payment option with ring and maybe something like gestures for iPad, iPhone etc.
Click to expand...
Not so sure about that. There’s only so much that can be done with clever power saving algorithms and sleep cycles. Eventually a bigger battery is needed and there’s not much space.
 
noannualfee said:
Come back to the light, our village has been waiting for you. I freed myself from smartwatches and rings back in 2022. I stopped caring about split times when running and rowing, i just worked against the clock on my phone, I slept with my phone under my pillow and just let it vibrate as my alarm, and I’m still healthy and going strong. Feeling the heft and rigidity of my Omega/Rolex and real wedding ring is an absolute joy everyday.
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I likely will sooner than later. I had issues in the past with self-control and doom-scrolling. The Apple Watch served its purpose helping me with that. My health tracking is very consistent daily so I have a rough idea on my metrics anyway. I'm pretty upset that my $800 Ultra (1) is already not getting new software updates. It's still 100% functional, but it turned me off from the platform.

The one thing stopping me right now is my spouse just bought me a nice band for my birthday a couple months ago, I’d feel pretty guilty if I stopped wearing my AW so soon. Maybe a slow phase out.
 
This is why the prices are going up on everything else. Ridiculous. Sorta like the HRM in the EarPods, what’s the point when you’re already connected to the watch
 
noannualfee said:
Come back to the light, our village has been waiting for you. I freed myself from smartwatches and rings back in 2022. I stopped caring about split times when running and rowing, i just worked against the clock on my phone, I slept with my phone under my pillow and just let it vibrate as my alarm, and I’m still healthy and going strong. Feeling the heft and rigidity of my Omega/Rolex and real wedding ring is an absolute joy everyday.
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100% agree. It’s fun to track distance but I’ve stopped bothering with the rest. Mindless metrics that create false markers for 99% of people
 
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I am definitely interested. I am not going to wear an Apple Watch, but would love some sort of subset of health monitoring.
 
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turbineseaplane said:
I used to think I wanted a product like this and then I paid attention to how often I use my watch as an actual watch (timers, alarms, etc).

Personally, I would be more into a fitness band that still had the time on it.
Click to expand...
This. I’d be all for an Apple Bracelet with a small clock. I’m actually surprised Apple hasn’t made one yet. The Apple Watch is fantastic but even the non-Ultra models can feel like a bit much. Sometimes I just want to quickly tell time and track my fitness.

A sleek $99 Apple fitness band would sell very well. I wouldn’t even be mad if they reserved the clock display for a $149 “pro” version.
 
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I'll stick with my Oura 5, thanks.

I just don't believe Apple can do much, if anything, to make this particular experience feel any more elevated; as Oura is essentially the Apple of the wearable space imo.
 
skaertus said:
Just two things:
  1. I already struggle to find a use for my smartwatch. A smart ring does not even have a screen. I do not even know what it is for. Tracking exercises? Tracking humor? Does it even work? And it is tacky. Zero tempted to buy one.
  2. If Apple launches a smart ring, we will have full confirmation that it has completely ceased to be the leader it once was and now all it does is follow trends set by other companies.
Click to expand...
You're not the target audience for this if you don't understand the use case for it. Non-watch fitness trackers are gaining popularity and Apple is rarely first to a segment. Smart watches existed before the AW too.
 
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